Fashion Thigh and Knee Warmers

ABSTRACT

Thigh and Knee Warmers, the object of which is to keep the wearer&#39;s thigh and knee area warm and to provide an appealing fashion accessory which is easy to put on and take off. The Thigh and Knee Warmer is constructed as a stretchy, flexible, flat knitted or other flexible fabric panel which wraps around the wearer&#39;s upper leg, beginning anywhere on the thigh and extending between 3″ and 8″ below the knee and is intended to fit snugly against the wearer&#39;s skin or over other garments such as stockings, tights, leggings and pants. The Thigh and Knee Warmer is enclosed vertically on one side by a zipper and is envisioned to be worn with the lower portion coming to or fitted under a boot.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to the field of apparel, knitted apparel, fashion outerwear accessories.

2. Description of Related Art

Keeping warm during the winter months in cold climates is a priority for anyone who has a need to be outside for any extended period of time such as commuting to and from work by public transportation, walking out in the city, outdoor shopping, hiking or for any other reason. To date there are no fashion garments known or found by the inventor specifically intended to keep the thigh and knee area warm which are also easy to put on and take off. In order to keep the thigh and knee area warm one might wear thigh high socks or leg warmers that extend over the knee or thigh area. The problem with the existing fashion accessories are in convenience, coverage area, and function. Most existing warmers are designed as circular with no closure mechanisms. There are some constructed as flat with closure systems, but those found cover the calf below the knee and extend to the foot. Other available warmers cover the entire leg and are intended for rugged outdoor use and to protect from extreme cold or are designed for sporting as opposed to a fashion accessory. In order to take the existing circular accessories off when the area no longer needs to be heated, for example once indoors where one might become overheated if the garment is left on, the wearer must remove boots or other foot wear or struggle to pull the leg warmers off when placed over other garments. The same is true when the wearer needs to put the warmers on again. This is common when one arrives at work or any indoor destination for which the commute involved being outdoors. The wearer will wish to take the warmers off, then when leaving and entering outdoors will want to put the warmers back on. Another problem with existing leg warmers and other thigh high warmers is keeping them from falling down and additional unwanted bulk to the thigh area which may be considered unflattering to some.

There is a need for an improved warmer designed specifically for the thigh, knee and upper calf area which is warm, form fitting, fashionable and easy to put on and take off. The present invention satisfies these needs as well as providing a small pocket on the underside for carrying and concealing items such as a cell phone or credit cards, keeping them conveniently in the wearer's reach and better protected from theft.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a Thigh and Knee Warmer the object of which is to keep the wearer's thigh and knee area warm and to provide an appealing fashion accessory which is easy to put on and take off. Thigh and Knee Warmers are intended to be worn as a pair, one on each leg, Thigh and Knee Warmers are constructed as a stretchy, flexible, flat knitted or other flexible fabric panel which wraps around the wearer's upper leg, beginning anywhere on the thigh and extending between 3″ to 8″ below the knee and is intended to fit snug against the wearer's skin or over other garments such as stockings, tights, leggings or pants. The Thigh and Knee Warmer is enclosed vertically on one side by a zipper. Alternately or additionally it may be enclosed with buttons, snaps or other closing devices. The Thigh and Knee Warmers feature: (1) design stitching or other decoration at the upper thigh area or any other area of the warmer for fashion appeal (2) wider in the thigh and decreasing in circumference to below the knee then increasing slightly to fit over the calf (3) construction in the knee area to provide a form fitted snug fit such as knitted ribbing (4) a stretch or other type of separating zipper enclosure designed to fasten at the top of the thigh and extending the length of the warmer ending below the knee at the upper or middle calf to provide easy on/off for the wearer without the need to remove footwear or other garments (5) a protective flap under the zipper to prevent pinching of skin and underlying garment materials; (6) a pocket on the top, underside which measures approximately 4″ wide by 5″ long the intention of which is for carrying small items such as a cell phone, credit card, or lipstick; (7) methods for keeping the Thigh and Knee Warmers in place and from falling down the leg which include sewn in elastic, an elastic drawstring, elastic with silicone backing, a garter belt fastening strip, or a garter panel; any of which is placed in the upper thigh area (8) a knitted strip and button to cover the retainer box of the zipper and to add more design and a logo which would be on the button.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view of the underside (wrong side) of the invention as laid flat and opened. The view shows the opened zipper, pocket and form fitted knee area.

FIG. 2 is a view of the outer side of the invention as laid flat and opened. The view shows the opened zipper, protective zipper flap and primary decorated area of the garment.

FIG. 3 is a view of the outer side of the invention showing the zipper in the closed position as it would be when worn.

FIG. 4 is a side view showing a pair of Thigh and Knee Warmers as intended to be worn on the leg with the boot overlapping at the calf.

REFERENCE NUMBERS IN THE DRAWINGS

-   1 Demarks the top portion of Thigh and Knee Warmers to be worn on     the upper thigh. -   2 Underside pocket -   3 Top and starting point of form fitted knee area. -   4 Bottom and ending point of form fitted knee area. -   5 Form fitted knee area. -   6 Zipper top stop. -   7 Zipper retainer box. -   8 Zipper insertion pin. -   9 Protective zipper flap. -   10 Primary decorated area. -   11 End point of primary decorated area. -   12 Zipper in the closed position. -   13 Thigh and Knee Warmer as positioned on the upper thigh. -   14 Thigh and Knee Warmer as positioned on the lower thigh. -   15 Thigh and Knee Warmer as positioned on the knee. -   16 Thigh and Knee Warmer as positioned on the calf.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows a view of the underside of the current invention. The underside is the side intended to be worn toward the wearer's skin. The outer side refers to the portion that will be visible when worn. The current invention is intended to be worn in pairs, each panel being a mirror image of the other, only the right panel is detailed in this description. The left panel is identical except for the placement of the pocket and the retainer box side of the zipper which would be sewn on opposite sides. The current invention can be made in a variety of sizes, for the purpose of this description a small adult female size will be used when describing the measurements.

The flexible panel is constructed by knitting or by cutting fabric. The panel is symmetrical and is approximately twenty inches in width at the widest section which continues for approximately three inches in length. The panel then gradually decreases in width by approximately one inch for every one inch in length for the first ten inches which is where the top of the knee area 3 begins. When the panel is knitted, the knee area 5 incorporates a ribbing stitch or a combination of ribbing and knitted in elastic to form a tighter fit in this area. When the panel is sewn of flexible fabric the area is constructed using small panels to cover the portions of the knee which are indented so that this area is form fitted.

After the bottom of the knee area 4 is reached the panel gradually increases in width by approximately one inch for every two inches of length. The panel ends when the total length is three or six inches below the knee, depending on desired length.

The top portion of the panel 1 will contain the method or device chosen to hold the panel in place when worn. There will be a variety of methods or devices used. The following will be sewn into place when used; silicone backed elastic trim; draw string elastic; a ¼″ seam binding which would be used to clasp a garter belt to the panel, shirring with elastic. When the panel is knitted the elastic thread will be knitted along with the yarn.

The pocket 2 is on the underside of the panel and is knitted in or knitted separately and sewn in if the panel is knitted. If the panel is sewn, the pocket is cut separately and sewn in.

The zipper enclosure 12 is a flexible separating (open ended) stretch zipper such as the YKK Soflex®. The side of the zipper which has the retainer box 7 is sewn vertically onto the underside of the panel on the right end of the panel with the retainer box 7 of the zipper positioned at the top of the panel and the top stop of the zipper positioned at the bottom of the panel. The side of the zipper which has the insertion pin 8 is sewn vertically onto the underside of the panel on the left end of the panel with the insertion pin positioned at the top of the panel and the tab stop 6 at the bottom of the panel. Both sides of the zipper are sewn so that the tape is visible on the underside of the panel and only the teeth are visible on the top side of the panel. Of course the slider, retainer box, top stops and the insertion pin will also be visible on the outer side of the panel.

The protective zipper panel 9 is the length of the panel and approximately one and one half inches to two inches wide. It is sewn onto the left edge of the zipper tape and through the panel. It is sewn onto the side of the zipper which includes the zipper slider.

The 2″ long (left to right) 1.25″ wide (top to bottom) knitted strip with a button hole to cover the retainer box of the zipper. The strip is sewn onto the same side as the zipper slider on the outside of the warmer. A button sewn onto the zipper insert pin side of the warmer. This would be both to cover the retainer box and to add more design and a logo which would be on the button.

The outer side top portion 10 of the panel, for approximately five to eight inches in length then ending 11 will include decorative stitching, trim, multi-color yarn or other variations of decoration to enhance the fashion appeal of the invention. 

1. A fashion Thigh and Knee Warmer comprising; a flat panel accessory garment dimensioned to be wider at the top and becoming increasingly more narrow toward the knee, then increasing again at the calf and to surround the wearer's upper 13 and lower thigh 14, knee 15 and upper calf 16 extending from the top portion of the thigh and ending 3″ to 8″ below the knee. a separating zipper or other closure method so that the garment is easy to put on and take off.
 2. The fashion Thigh and Knee Warmer as defined in claim 1, comprised of knitted yarn, sewn of woven or knitted fabrics, sewn of leather or other materials.
 3. The fashion Thigh and Knee Warmer as defined in claim 1, having a closure system to join the vertically extending edges of the panel together using a separating zipper so that the panel is wrapped snugly around the wearer's leg.
 4. The fashion Thigh and Knee Warmer as defined in claim 1, having a closure system to join the vertically extending edges of the panel together using buttons and button holes, toggle buttons, snaps or other fastening devices.
 5. The fashion Thigh and Knee Warmer as defined in claim 2, having a protective zipper flap attached to the same side of the garment or zipper as the zipper slider to protect from pinching of skin or fabrics under the garment.
 6. The fashion Thigh and Knee Warmer as defined in claim 1, having a pocket of either fabric or yarn knitted or sewn into the underside top thigh portion of the garment measuring approximately 4″ wide and 5″ long, providing easy access for the wearer. The pocket is positioned so that it can be accessed from either the inner, outer, front or rear thigh depending on the wearer's preference as to where the zipper positions on the leg.
 7. The fashion Thigh and Knee Warmer as defined in claim 1, which has a means at the upper thigh area for keeping the garment from moving down the leg toward the knee using elastic in the form of knitted in elastic, elastic chord, pull string elastic or other variations of elastic such as silicone backed elastic which is sewn on, knitted in or secured using other methods where the wearer may adjust to their comfort level.
 8. The fashion Thigh and Knee Warmer as defined in claim 1, which is form fitted around the knee area using knitting techniques such as ribbing or sewing techniques. 